The National Debate Tournament is one of the national championships for collegiate policy debate in the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. The tournament is sponsored by the American Forensic Association with the Ford Motor Company Fund.

History of the NDT

The National Debate Tournament (NDT) began in 1947 at the

United States Military Academy The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...

West Point The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known Metonymy, metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academies, United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a f ...

. Twenty-nine schools competed at the first NDT debating: "Resolved: That labor should be given a direct share in the management of industry". It remained at West Point through 1966, at which time the Tournament Director met with the district chairs and advised them that at the tournament banquet of the Military Academy's decision to discontinue hosting the NDT in the ensuing years in part because of the increased demands on space and money that the United States' growing involvement in the

Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...

was placing on the Academy. Since then the tournament has moved to different member schools each year and only three schools have hosted it twice. Selection of the 78 teams participating at the NDT involves a three stage process.

Winners

Past Resolutions

The National Debate Tournament currently debates the topic selected by the

Cross Examination Debate Association The Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) ( ) is the largest intercollegiate policy debate association in the United States. Throughout the school year, CEDA sanctions over 60 tournaments throughout the nation, including an annual National ...

, but used to debate its own, separate, topic. Wake Forest University maintains a list of earlier resolutions used at the National Debate Tournament.

References

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External links

National Debate Tournament Home PageNDT Champions on AmericanForensics.org
Policy debate North American debating competitions